Hot Mix August 2007

IR to sell Bobcat,attachment divisions
Ingersoll-Rand Co. will sell its Bobcat, utility equipment, and attachments business units to Doosan Infracore for $4.9 billion, according to Herbert L. Henkel, chairman, president, and CEO.

The combined businesses manufacture and sell compact equipment including skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, mini-excavators, attachments, and other general-purpose light construction equipment.

The sale is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.

CHEC's Curtis assists pavement center
Alan Curtis, CHEC Consultants, Redding, CA, was recently retained by California Pavement Preservation Center (CP2) to assist the center in its start up and development.

Established by the California DOT (Caltrans) in June 2006, the center is located at California State University- Chico. Tom Ferrera, director, says the center provides pavement-related services including promoting pavement preservation, working on failure investigations, and providing education and training to Caltrans. Curtis will be:

• Working with a subgroup of the Pavement Preservation Task Group to develop a Maintenance Technical Advisory Guide chapter on interlayers and the use of them with chip seals.

• Developing a fact sheet on interlayers covering different techniques used, strengths and weakness of each technique, where interlayers should be used, and key references on the use of interlayers with chip seals or under hot-mix pavements.

• Working with the CP2 on investigations of pavement failure in Caltrans districts.

Curtis, a graduate of California State University-Chico, has been a member of the Pavement Advisory Board since 1992 and an annual speaker at National Pavement Expo and National Pavement Expo West.

7th edition of Asphalt Handbook available
The revised 7th edition of The Asphalt Handbook, known throughout the industry as the "red book," will be available this fall from the Asphalt Institute.

The book, which now includes two-color layout, new graphics, and an updated design covers the industry from types of asphalts to paving techniques, compaction, and maintenance methods. Updates include Superpave binder and design, stone matrix asphalt, and pavement management.

The red book (MS-4) is available from the Asphalt Institute (www.asphaltinstitute.org). It is also available at National Pavement Expo West, Nov. 15-17, in Las Vegas, where attendees at the NPE West/Asphalt Institute Lightning Course "Essentials of Mix and Maintenance" receive a free asphalt hat with purchase of the book.

For information about NPE West and a description of the workshop visit www.nationalpavementexpo.com.

Star Seal of Minnesota opens
Matt Griepp is the owner of the newest STAR Inc. licensee plant, Star Seal of Minnesota, in Shakopee. Griepp has been in the pavement business for many years, and the Griepp family has been in the asphalt business since 1947.

Star Seal of Minnesota manufactures all major types of sealer and offers a complete line of pavement maintenance products.

The company is located at 1350 Maras St., Shakopee, MN 55379; phone 952-884-9151.

Pavement names assistant editor
Kim Johnston has joined Cygnus Business Media as assistant editor with Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction magazine. Johnston is a 2007 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where she majored in English and minored in journalism. Her previous experience includes an internship with Milwaukee Home & Fine Living and as a writer and editor for Brink, an UW-Eau Claire class online magazine.

Letter: Value in "Value-added" May article
I wanted to compliment you on the lineup for the May issue of Pavement! With the economy and the real estate market in an adjustment period, it is more critical now than ever to diversify your operation. I think that your article "Value-added Pavement Marking" would be very helpful to striping contractors. With striping historically having lower margins than sealcoating or paving, it is imperative that striping contractors diversify to weather the storm in the new construction market.

Steve Brahney
Brahney Pavement Solutions